Seed planter



E. A. soMMElR sEEn PLmTER Nov. 2, 1948.

v 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. l, 1946 v JNVENToR. 511/45 ,4.50MMEQ,

Arrofa/wzn Patente Nov. 2, 1948 NiteosrArs E, ,T C'F'F I CE 3 -Claims. 1

This invention relates to agricultural equipment and more particularly to seed-planting machines.

An object of my present invention is to provide a seed-planting machine whichiis possessed of theadvantage that by its usean agriculturalist substantially eliminates the need of thinning plants after the seeds have sprouted and the young plants have attained substantial size, which need is one of the disadvantages inherent in the use of more Conventional seed-planting equipment.

A more detailed objectl in this connection-is to provide a seed-planting device which operates upon the principle of delivering a predetermined number of Seeds at regular intervalsias'the device is advanced across the land, thereby causing one or more seeds to be planted at regularly spaced distances along a roW instead of permittingV a continuous stream of seeds to flow through an aperture of predetermined size -as -in thecase of seedplanting machines now in common use.

A further object is to provide a seed-planting device of the general character indicated` which, in spite of its being of very simple, inexpensive and rugged construction, is thoroughly depend- Iable and highly efficient inplanting substantially the exact number of `seeds desiredfiat the exact spacing mostconducive to proper plant development.

The invention` possesses other objects and features of advantage, somev of which, withv the foregoing, will be-'set forth in the following description ofH the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of thespecification. It is to be understood that/Ido not limit myself'to the showing made by the said drawing `and description,` as Imay adopt variations of the' preferreclH form within the scope of my invention as set forth4 in the claims;

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the seed-planting device of the presentinvention; a portion of the' cover of the device being broken away the 'better to 4 reveal i the interior mechanism. The-seedplanter is shown removed from the soil working* tool in=connection with whichit isiintended to be 'l operated.

Figure 24'is -a-viewin side 'elevatiom the direction ofviewibeingindicatedlby the arrow"2of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation taken in direction;4 of the arrow-of FigureiZ.

Fligureeis :anten-larged;llongitudinalucompoundf 21 sectional'view, the pl'anes of section being indicated by the lines -lf of Figure `3l and thedi'- rection of view by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail view which may be'consid-- ered to be a sectional view taken along the arcuate` plane indicatediby the line 5-5 of Figure 4; the direction of view being indicated by the arrows.`

Figure 6 is a transverse, Vertical, sectional view,

the plane of section being indicatedby the line 6-6 of Figure 5' andthe direction -of viewby the arrows. s

Figure '7 is a-more highly enlarged' detail viewv taken in Vertical sectionupon the lineV l-l of` Figure with the direction oflview as indicated by the arrows.

A source of veryconsiderable expen'setothe`` agriculturalist has been-the use` of 'conventional on which thehopper is mounted is advanced along the land. The hopper is usually mountedupon-iafl piece of'equipment-provided with a leadingfplowor soil working tooth adapted'to open a furrow into which fall the seed dropped'from thelhopper; and a second, reversely Operating plow or soil working toolfiad'apted to throw the'isoil back into the furrow and thus cover theseed. Use' offa`` seed-'planter of this type unavoidably results in the use of several times the quantityeof seed'actually required to start plants at ,the spacing which is required to produce plants of optimum` characi `teristics.

wasted is a small item as`` compared to the cost1 of the labor required to thin'out'f the' plants` However, the cost of the seed being after they have'sprouted and 'grown to sub'stantial size, and'thus leave the desiredl numberiof lplants* at the fproper spacing The present -invention contemplates dispensing with this sourceV of needless expense to persons who plant seed in'sufficientquantities to `justify the usev of mechanical seed-planting equipment,` by making available seed-plantingapparatus which plants seed in numbers vsubstantially1 corresponding to the number-of plants which should be 'allowed to growtomaturity in a-g-iven locality f for optimumresults;thereby effecting averyfmap terial savingin the cost=of the-seedsandastih` greatervsaving by ireducing-or elim'inating ientire-l- 1. ly. the cost land'l inconvenience ofl`` thinning theexcess plants;`

With these general objects in view, theiseedf plalnti-i'iga-'appa'rai'ni'si*ofthe*` presentiinventioifihas been designed for use in conjunction with any suitable type of soil working tools which, inasmuch as its design has no particular relationship to thedetails of the present invention, need not be shown or described here. Suffice it to say that it includes preferably a frame mounted upon one or more wheels and having a furrow-cpening soil working tool in advance of a second soil working tool which closes the furrow, sufficient space between the two soil working tools being left to permit mounting and operation of the seed-plantinsr apparatus of the present invention to drop seeds in the furrow formed by the leading soil Working tool and subsequently to be covered by the trailing soil working tool as the apparatus advances across the land. It should also be explained that such soil working apparatus is equipped with a shaft (also not shown) adapted to rotate by being connected to a Wheel of the apparatus which turns as the tool advances.

The seed-planting apparatus of the present invention includes a transversely extending shaft Il adapted to be operably connected to the said revoluble shaft of the supporting apparatus, as by a bevel gear i'2, in such a manner that the shaft Il rotates at a rate proportional to the speed at which the equipment is moved alcng the row to be planted. This shaft H is revolubly inounted in suitable journals 13 and Hi upon opposite sides of a hopper iii which oomprises a bottom I 1, front and rear walls, i8 and 19 respectively, a pair of spaced side walls 2l, and a removable top 22. A peripheral flange 23 extending downwards from the top 22 is adapted to engage the upperedges of the front, rear, and side walls, 18, l9, and ZI, respectively, for the releasable retention of the top 22 in hopper-closing position. The `iournals M are disposed substantially at the centers of the two spaced side Walls ZI with the result that the shaft H extends transversely through the hopper it or in position for the lower portion of a Wheel 2% carried by the shaft Il to be immersed within a supply vof seeds 27 contained Within the hopper 15. The Wheel 25 is rigid with the shaft il, being secured thereto as by a key 25 fitted within suitable grooves in the surface of the shaft l i and the bore of the wheel's hub 28.

A plurality of radiating spokes 3! are interconnected at their outer ends by an annular flange 32; and extending laterally from the flange 32' is a cylindrical flange or rim 33 provided with pockets 34 at equally spaced intervals throughout its ciroumference, these pockets 34 being in the nature of holes extending radially with respect to the Wheel Z and completely through lthe rim 33. Moreover, each of the holes 34 is so proportioned that it is adapted to contain a predeterin that portion of the mined number of the seeds to be planted. Ac-

cordingly, it is intended that a different Wheel 26 will be used in connection With each size of seed to be planted; that is to say, each kind of seed will call for a particular design of Wheel 26. Hence, it is desired that the means whereby the Wheel 26 is rigidly secured to the shaft i l be so designed that it is readily releasable, thus permitting withdrawal of the shaft i l far enough to release the Wheel 2% therefrom and permitting substitution for that Wheel of another the size of whose seed-carrying pockets liis appropriate to the size of the seeds to be planted and the spacing of which desired distanceybetween plants to mature from those seeds.

The inner ends of the holes 34 are closed pockets is appropriate to the throughout a substantlal portion of their rotation about the axis of the shaft H by a resiliently fiexible strip 41 which is flexed from its normal, straight form to arouate or circular form so as to fit within the rim flange 33. The inherent resiliency of the material of which the strip 4! is composed therefore can be relied upon to urge the strip 4| outwards throughout its entire length and thus establish frictional engagement with the inner surface of the flange 33. and thereby eifectually close the inner ends of the holes 34. The resilient strip M is anchored at one end 42 upon a suitable rigid support inside the Wheel 26. A convenient support for the end 42 of the strip IH is presented by a tubular chute 43 which is rigid with preferably one of the side Walls 2l of the hopper IG (see Figure 1). The upper end of the chute 43 is preferably enlarged to provide a funnel-shaped seed-receiving end 44 which is open at the top and which is disposed under and preferably closely adjacent that portion of the hole closing strip fil which is at or near the uppermost portion of the Wheel 265. The lower end of the chute 43 communicates with an opening 46 in preferably the bottom l'! of the hopper IG; and from the opening 46 a seed-carrying duct or chute 41 leads to a suitable point of discharge so that seeds falling into the open upper end IM of the chute 43 will be delivered by gravity into the furrow formed by the leading soil Working tool to which reference has been made hereinabove.

So as to permit emptying of each hole or pocket 34 as it comes into position above the open upper end of the chute 43, an aperture Si is formed flexible strip which is immediately above the funnel-shaped mouth 44. Inasmuch as the holes 315 are disposed substantially vertically when they move into registry with the aperture 51, the contents of each pocket M will fall through the strip M and into the chute 43 as that hole moves into registry with the aperture 5I.

The end 42 of the flexible strip ti is secured to one wall of the chute 43 as by a plurality of V fastening sorews 52 and preferably the same sorews retain a supporting brace 53. the upper end 54 of which is of arcuate'form about a radius' coinciding with the curvature through which the associated portion of the flexible strip iii extends between the chute 43 and the proximal portion of the rim flange 33. This arouate portion 54 therefore operates as a backing plate which prevents flexing the flexible strip fil beyond its elastc limit, as might otherwise be the result of the frictional engagement between the outer surface of the strip M and the inner surface of the flange 33 as the Wheel 26 turns. Wheel's rotation is indicated by the arrow R of Figure 4.

Preferably each of the holes 34 is formed with its trailing edge deflected outwards as best shown at 56 (see Figure 7), these parts being so shaped that the trailing edge 56 operates as a scoop as it passes through the supply of seeds 27 Within the hopper 15, thereby assuring filling the associated hole 34 with the seeds and facilitating rotation of the seeds thus received within the hole 34 after that hole has passed out of the supply 2'! and until the hole 34 reaches its position of registry with the aperture 5! in the strip H,

Operation It is believed that the manner of operation ofV The direction of the seeds, depending upon the size of the seeds being planted. The holes 3.4 thus supplied With one or more seeds will be elevated successively out of the supply 21 of. seeds; and as they reach a position of registry With the aperture I in the strip 4l, the contents of each hole `Will be permitted to drop into the chute 43 and Will be conducted therefrom by the chute 41 to a point Where they Will drop into the furrow being formed by a soil Working tool in advance of the discharge end of the chute 41. As hereinabove explained, the Wheel 26 selected to do any particular job of planting Will have its holes 34 so spaced that the machine carrying the apparatus will advance along the row the desired distance between plantings during the time that the Wheel 26 rotates through an annular distance corresponding to the annular distance between adjacent vholes 34. It is apparent therefore that regardless of the speed at which the machine is advanced along the row, one or more seeds Will be dropped With the spacing between successive plantings in the roW corresponding to the desired spacing of the matured plants.

I claim:

1. A seeder comprising a hopper adapted to contain a supply of seeds, `a Wheel revolubly mounted therein and comprising a rimppartly immersed in said supply With the remainder of said rim extending thereabove, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes therethrough, both lateral edges of said rim being uninterruptedly smooth throughout their entire extent and both the inner and outer peripheral faces of said rim being uninterruptedly smooth except for said holes Whereby damaging, of seeds Within said hopper by rotation of said rim throughsaid seeds is minimized, means for turning said Wheel and thereby causing said holes successively to pass through said supply of seeds and then to be raised out of said supply, means pressing resiliently against one face of said rim and closing one end of each of said holes until that hole arrives at a predetermined position within said hopper and for thereupon opening said end of that hole to release that hole*s contents, and seed-conveying means for receiving seeds from said holes as said ends thereof are opened.

2. A seeder comprising a hopper adapted to contain a supply of seeds, a Wheel revolubly mounted therein and comprising a rim partly immersed in said supply With the remainder of said i rim extending thereabove, said rim having a plui mined position.

rality of circumferentially spaced holes therethrough, both lateral edges of said rim being uni.

interruptedly smooth throughout their entire extent and both the inner and outer peripheral faces of said rim beingluninterruptedly smooth except for said holeswhereby damaging of seeds Within said hopper by rotation of said rim through said 1 seeds is minimized, means for turning said Wheel and thereby causing said holes successively to pass through said supply of seeds and then to be raised out of said supply, flexible means pro-` viding a lining for and pressing resiliently out- Wards against the inner face of said rim and closing the inner end of each of said holes during at least a portion of the time that that hole is immersed in said supply of seeds and until that p hole arrives at a predetermined position removed from said supply, and means for receiving seeds from said holes as they arrive at said predeter- 3. A seeder comprising a hopper adapted contain a supply of seeds, a Wheel revolubly mounted therein and comprising a rim ipartly immersed in said supply With the remainder of said rim extending thereabove, said rim having l a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes therethrough, meansfor turning said Wheel and thereby causing said holes successively to pass through said supply of seeds and then to be raised out of said supply, a strip of resiliently flexible material fiexed to fit inside said rim and pressing outwardly thereagainst in frictional engagement therewith, anchoring means holding an end of said strip stationary With respect to said hopj per and thereby enabling said Wheel to rotate With respect to said strip, said strip having an opening therein in a portion thereof above said i supply of seeds and in position for said holes to move successively into register therewith as said Wheel turns, and seed receiving and conveying means disposed beloW said opening in position to receive seeds as they fall therethrough.

EMILE A. SOMMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following `references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

